Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

The Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival is the flagship event of the Maryland Sheep Breeders Association. As the association president, I see firsthand the effort and teamwork needed by the officers, board members, committee members, and dozens and dozens of volunteers needed to host this event. Like all who help host the Festival, I need to thank my wife, Jan, who is the Festival vendor coordinator for our over 250 vendors. At times it is more than a full-time job managing applications, contracts, answering emails, and designing site plans. She negotiates with the vendors that supply tents, tables, chairs; then there are the permits to apply for and all those regulations to adhere to. This is only one example of what many do, there is no “I” in this team. I cannot thank this team enough that works so hard to pull off this fantastic festival with more sheep and wool than you can imagine.

Our cost to host the Festival has gone up dramatically in the past couple of years. Every service and supplier we need to run the Festival have significantly increased their prices. One example are all the white tents you see all around the Festival, their cost has tripled. We hope you understand we had to raise our admission fee to help cover the increase in expenses. If you are in position to do so, please consider donating to the Festival. A gift from you will help ensure the Festival will continue far into the future.

While at the Festival, take time and take in a sheep show, or walk through the sheep barns and thank the participants. If it were not for the shepherds raising and caring for their flocks, then we would not have all that fabulous wool.

Now on the bright side – come help us celebrate our 50th anniversary!

Jeff White, President, Maryland Sheep Breeders Association